Toothbrush with resilient head section

ABSTRACT

A powered toothbrush is provided and includes a handle portion having a neck formed at one end and a head coupled to the neck. The head includes a first carrier coupled to the head and operatively connected to a drive mechanism for moving the first carrier in a first path of motion. The first carrier has at least one of a plurality of bristles and elastomeric cleaning members extending outwardly therefrom to deliver oral care benefits to the user. The head also includes a second carrier coupled to the head. The second carrier is formed of an elastomeric material and has at least one of a plurality of bristles and elastomeric cleaning members extending outwardly from an upper surface thereof. The second carrier is constructed so that upon application of a force to the upper surface thereof, the second carrier moves in a second path of motion that is different from the first path of motion.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 10/260,620 filed on Sep. 27, 2002 and which has been allowed as U.S.Pat. No. 7,430,776, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to powered toothbrushes, and moreparticularly, to a toothbrush having a head with two distinct movingsections with each section providing oral health benefits to the user.

2. Discussion of Related Art

Toothbrushes provide many oral hygiene benefits. For example,toothbrushes remove plaque and food debris to help avoid tooth decay anddisease. They remove stained pellicle from the surface of each tooth tohelp whiten the teeth. Also, the bristles combined with the brushingmotion massage the gingival tissue for stimulation and increased healthof the tissue.

Powered toothbrushes have been available for some time. Poweredtoothbrushes have advantages over manual (non-powered) toothbrushes inthat they impart movement to the bristles at much higher speeds thanpossible manually. They also may impart different types and directionsof motion. These motions, generally in combination with manual movementof the toothbrush by the user, provide superior cleaning than manualtoothbrushes. Typically, powered toothbrushes are powered by disposableor rechargeable batteries that power an electric motor that in turndrives the toothbrush head.

Known powered toothbrushes include a brush head with a bristle carrierportion that rotates, oscillates or vibrates in some manner so as toclean the teeth. The bristles, which typically comprise bristle tufts,are generally uniform with one end fixed into the bristle carrierportion and the other end free to contact the surface of the teeth whilebrushing. The free ends of the various tufts present a surface envelopethat is capable of some deformation when the bristles bend. When incontact with the surface to be brushed, the bristles may deform so thatthe surface envelope tends to conform to the complex surface of theteeth. Human teeth generally lie in a “C” shaped curve within the upperand lower jaws, and each row of teeth consequently has a convex outercurve and a concave inner curve. Individual teeth often have extremelycomplex surfaces, with areas that may be flat, concave, or convex. Themore precise conformation between the bristles and the tooth surface,the more effective the toothbrush may be in cleaning, whitening and/orstimulating.

Known powered toothbrushes typically arrange the bristles in a compactconical or cylindrical pattern on a generally circular, disk-shapedbristle carrier. The powered toothbrush heads are traditionally compact,generally oval in shape and the heads are produced with a flat trimmedbristle pattern. Alternatively, other head shapes and bristle patternsare available.

One example of a powered toothbrush is depicted in U.S. Pat. No.5,625,916 to McDougall, which is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety. The toothbrush shown in McDougall has a disc-shaped bristlecarrier. The bristle carrier, and thus the bristles, are driven in avibrating or oscillating manner. This type of toothbrush is describedherein with reference to FIGS. 1A-1C. A toothbrush 5 includes a handleportion 10 at a proximal end of the toothbrush 5 and a head 11 at adistal end of toothbrush 5. Handle portion 10 has compartments forcontaining a powered motor 14 and batteries 15 and 16. Head 11 includesa generally circular bristle holder (carrier) 13. A rotatable shaft 12extends from motor 14 to head 11. A shaft coupling 17 may be locatedalong shaft 12 and configured to provide for shaft 12 to be separated ata point between motor 14 and head 11. This permits the shaft to beremoved from toothbrush 5, e.g. for cleaning, servicing, or replacement.

Head 11 includes a post 18 that provides a rotational pivot axis forbristle holder 13 containing bristle tufts 19. The distal end of shaft12 has a journal or offset 20 that is radially displaced from thelongitudinal axis of shaft 12, which may be integrally formed therewith.Bristle holder 13 has a slot 22 that receives offset 20. Offset 20 andslot 22 are configured so as to be oriented toward the intersection ofshaft 12 axis and the longitudinal axis of post 18. When motor 14rotates shaft 12, the motion of offset 20 defines a circle about shaft12 axis and drivingly engages slot 22 such that bristle holder 13vibrates or oscillates about post 18 axis through a rotational angle A.The rotational angle A is defined by the displacement of offset 20 fromshaft 12 axis relative to the diameter of bristle holder 13.

Although powered toothbrushes such as those described immediately aboveprovide advantages over manual toothbrushes, they are subject to variouslimitations. Providing a rotating or oscillating bristle holder(carrier) with a typical oblong or oval toothbrush head constrains thesize of the moving bristle holder, and consequently the area of bristlesavailable for teeth cleaning. Also, when the bristles are placed incontact with the teeth during brushing, there is less bristle contactwith adjacent areas, such as the gums. Thus, while these compact bristlepatterns provide for cleaning, there is minimal whitening andstimulation.

One attempt to overcome the limitations associated with a small poweredbristle area is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,083 to Blaustein et al. Thetoothbrush in Blaustein et al. has a bristle area and pattern similar toa manual toothbrush, but an area of the bristles has simply beenreplaced by a powered bristle section. The result is that the head has apowered or moving bristle section and static bristle section. Thelimitation of Blaustein et al. is that the static bristle sectionprovides no better cleaning, whitening or stimulation than a manualtoothbrush.

International Application No. PCT/EP01/07615 of Braun GmbH discloses apowered toothbrush with two separate bristle parts that can move. Eachbristle part can have a different range and/or type of motion. However,only one bristle part is powered. The other unpowered bristle part movesdue to a resonance effect imparted by the frequency of the movement ofthe first bristle part.

This free resonance causes a number of difficulties. First, because anycontact between the bristle parts will dampen or cancel any resonance ofthe unpowered bristle part, the unpowered bristle part “floats”separately from the powered bristle part. This necessitates separationor gaps between them. These gaps expose the internal workings of thehead to foreign matter such as water, saliva, toothpaste, and foodparticles. This foreign matter may interfere with the workings of theunpowered bristle head. For example, the unpowered bristle part isspring-loaded to assist its resonance. Foreign matter may accumulate onor around the spring, interfering with its function. In addition, foodparticles may remain in the head and may fester and host microorganisms,which are undesirable if not potentially harmful when introduceddirectly into the mouth.

Another limitation of such a design is that movement of the unpoweredbristle part may be damped by contact with the teeth, or lessened whenthe frequency of the powered part shifts from the resonance frequency.This can occur due to pressure imparted against the powered bristle partby the teeth or gums during brushing. Finally, the energy imparted tothe unpowered bristle part is only a portion of the energy input intothe powered part. Therefore, the unpowered bristle part is lesseffective in cleaning than the powered part, limiting the overalleffectiveness of the toothbrush.

Thus, there is a need in the art for a powered toothbrush with increasedeffectiveness through a larger area of powered or driven bristles orbristles that are otherwise movable. There is also a need for atoothbrush having increased whitening and/or stimulation than knowntoothbrushes. There is further a need for such improved toothbrushes tobe comparable in manufacturing and purchasing costs as known poweredtoothbrushes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A powered toothbrush is provided and includes a handle portion at aproximal end and a head at a distal end with a neck being formed betweenthe handle portion and the head. According to one embodiment, the headhas two distinct movable parts that provide oral health benefits sinceeach part is adapted to have a number of bristles or elastomericcleaning members or a combination thereof extending therefrom to contactsurfaces of the teeth and surrounding areas. The toothbrush has a drivemechanism that imparts movement to one of the movable parts to deliver acleaning, polishing, whitening action that supplements the cleaningefficiency of a typical powered toothbrush.

In one exemplary embodiment, the first movable head part is a firstbristle carrier that supports a number of bristle tufts, elastomericcleaning members, or a combination thereof. The first bristle carrier isoperatively mounted to the head and is coupled to the drive mechanismsuch that the first bristle carrier oscillates back and forth in adirection about a center point of the first bristle carrier. Preferably,the oscillating first bristle carrier is moved back and forth in arotational direction. The second movable part is a second bristlecarrier in the form of an elastomeric “shock-absorbing” member that isoperatively mounted to the head and includes a number of bristle tufts,elastomeric cleaning members, or combination thereof, extendingoutwardly therefrom. During a brushing action, forces are appliedagainst the second carrier and the elastomeric nature of the secondbristle carrier causes the earner to move in a substantially up and downmanner to deliver additional oral health benefits including enhancedcleaning, tooth polishing and/or tooth whitening.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the foregoing detailed description when read in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings.

The invention accordingly comprises the several steps and the relationof one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others, and theapparatus embodying features of construction, combination(s) of elementsand arrangement of parts that are adapted to effect such steps, all asexemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of theinvention will be indicated in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference is made tothe following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a front cross-sectional view of a conventional poweredtoothbrush including a head;

FIG. 1B is a partial side cross-sectional view of the toothbrush head ofFIG. 1A;

FIG. 1C is a partial front cross-sectional view of the toothbrush headof FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2 is a front and side perspective view of a powered toothbrushaccording to one exemplary embodiment of the invention showing atoothbrush head having distinct first and second movable carriersections constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the toothbrush head of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the toothbrush head of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a front and side perspective view of a powered toothbrush headaccording to another exemplary embodiment of the invention showing atoothbrush head having distinct first and second movable carriersections constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 7 is front elevational view of a toothbrush head according toanother exemplary embodiment constructed in accordance with theinvention;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the toothbrush head of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 7 withparts broken away to illustrate an elastomeric carrier in a relaxedcondition;

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view with parts broken away to illustratethe elastomeric carrier of FIG. 9 in a depressed condition;

FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of the elastomeric carrier of FIG.10 in the depressed condition;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 12-12 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an elastomeric tooth care elementhaving a first configuration and adapted for use in the toothbrush headconstructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an elastomeric tooth care elementhaving a second configuration and adapted for use in the toothbrush headconstructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an elastomeric tooth care elementhaving a third configuration and adapted for use in the toothbrush headconstructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an elastomeric tooth care elementhaving a fourth configuration and adapted for use in the toothbrush headconstructed in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an elastomeric tooth care elementhaving a fifth configuration and adapted for use in the toothbrush headconstructed in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring first to FIGS. 2 through 5 in which an exemplary poweredtoothbrush according to a first embodiment is illustrated and generallyindicated at 100. Toothbrush 100 includes a handle 102 at a proximal endthereof that defines an interior compartment (not illustrated) forhousing various toothbrush components, and a brush section 104 that isdefined by a neck 106 that terminates in a head 120 at a distal end oftoothbrush 100. Handle 102 has a free proximal end 108 and an oppositeneck end 110. Neck 106 generally extends from a first end 112 to asecond end 114 with the first end 112 being located at neck end 110 ofhandle 102 and second end 114 being located at head 120. In other words,neck 106 is the portion of toothbrush 100 that extends between handle102 and head 120. Neck 106 also defines an interior compartment (notillustrated) for housing various working components of toothbrush 100.Head 120 is preferably generally aligned with the longitudinal axis ofthe toothbrush 100.

According to one embodiment, neck 106 and handle 102 may be constructedas a unitary member by forming neck 106 integral to handle 102 at theend 110 of handle 102. In another embodiment, neck 106 is detachablefrom handle 102 at end 110 of neck 106. In accordance with thisdetachable embodiment, combined neck 106 and head 120 can be removedfrom handle 102 to permit cleaning, servicing and/or interchanging ofeither handle 102 or combined neck 106 and head 120 (brush section 104).When neck 106 is formed to be detachable from handle 102, first neck end112 preferably includes a connector linkage (not shown) that is adaptedto be detachably joined to handle 102 using traditional techniques. Itwill also be appreciated that the point of detachment can be betweenhead 120 and neck 106 such that head 120 is of a refill head type.

It will further be appreciated that the illustrated shapes of handle 102and neck 106 are merely exemplary in nature and handle 102 and/or neck106 can be formed to have any number of shapes. Preferably, the shapesof handle 102 and neck 106 are ergonomically pleasing to a user oftoothbrush 100 and provide a toothbrush which is easily gripped and heldand easily manipulated by the user. For example, handle 102 can includeslightly recessed finger sections 118 which are formed on opposite sidesof handle 102. One recessed finger section 118 is designed to receivethe thumb of one hand and the other recessed finger section 118 isdesigned to receive one or more other fingers of the same hand tothereby assist the user in proper placement of toothbrush 100 in theuser's hand. One or more of the recessed finger sections 118 can includeribs or another type of roughened surface to assist the user in grippingthe toothbrush in the recessed finger sections 118.

Head 120 of the toothbrush 100 includes a head base 160 that partiallydefines an inner compartment 121 of head 120. Head base 160 may beconstructed so that it terminates in a rounded distal end 162, whichdefines the distal end of toothbrush 100. Preferably, head base 160 isintegrally attached to second end 114 of neck 106.

Head 120 also includes a first movable bristle carrier 180 which isillustrated as being at the outermost or distal portion of head 120.First bristle carrier 180 may have a construction that is eitheridentical to or similar to that of bristle holder 12 illustrated inFIGS. 1A-1C. First movable bristle earner 180 is preferably formed as adisk having a circular cross-section since it is intended to oscillatein a rotational manner about a center point thereof. However, it will beappreciated that first movable bristle carrier 180 is not limited tohaving a disk shape and can have any number of different shapes, such asan oval or various other regular or irregular shapes, so long as bristlecarrier 180 is able to oscillate in a substantially rotational manner. Acircular shape is preferred since it requires the least amount ofclearance to accommodate the oscillating movement.

A plurality of tooth care elements 152 are coupled to and extendoutwardly positioned perpendicular to the direction of oscillation offirst movable bristle carrier 180 (shown in phantom in FIG. 4) andsubstantially perpendicular to a plane defined by a surface of head 120opposite tooth care elements 152 and bristle carrier 180. As usedherein, the term “tooth care elements” includes any type of structurethat is commonly used or is suitable for use in providing oral healthbenefits (e.g., tooth cleaning, tooth polishing, tooth whitening, etc.)by making intimate contact with surfaces of the teeth and surroundingareas. Such tooth care elements include but are not limited to tufts ofbristles that can be formed to have a number of different shapes andsizes and elastomeric members (see FIGS. 13-17) that can be formed tohave a number of different shapes and sizes, or a combination of both.Bristle tufts arranged on first bristle carrier 180 are only oneexemplary configuration and it will be understood that other bristleconfigurations (such as stapled, IMT, etc.) can be used and the bristletufts can be formed of the same or different bristle materials (such asnylon bristles, spiral bristles, rubber bristles, etc.). Moreover, whilethe tooth care elements can be arranged so that they are generallyperpendicular to the plane defined by the opposite surface of head 120from the tooth care elements, some or all of the tooth care elements maybe angled at various angles with respect to first movable bristlecarrier 180. When the first movable bristle carrier 180 includes bristletufts, it is thereby possible to select the combination of bristlesconfigurations, bristle materials and bristle orientations to achievespecific intended results, such as to create as much movement from themoving tuft heads to deliver additional oral health benefits likeenhanced cleaning, tooth polishing and/or tooth whitening.

While first movable bristle carrier 180 has been defined as a movablebristle earner 180, it will be understood that first movable carrier 180is not limited to having only tufts of bristles as a part thereof.Instead, first movable bristle carrier 180 is to be broadly consideredas being a carrier for any number of suitable tooth care elements or anynumber of combinations of different types of tooth care elements. Forexample, first movable bristle carrier 180 can include a number ofelastomeric members to provide the desired oral health benefits. Theelastomeric members can be attached to first movable bristle carrier 180using conventional techniques, including integrally forming theelastomeric members with an upper surface of carrier 180. The tooth careelements provided as part of the first movable bristle carrier 180 canthus be entirely of one type (e.g., bristle tufts or elastomericmembers) or can be a mixed arrangement.

FIGS. 13-17 illustrate various exemplary elastomeric members that canserve as tooth care elements 152. FIG. 13 shows an elastomeric toothcare element in the form of a thin spike; FIG. 14 shows an elastomerictooth care element in the form of a barrel spike; FIG. 15 shows anelastomeric tooth care element in the form of a squeegee point; FIG. 16shows an elastomeric tooth care element in the form of an angled point;and FIG. 17 shows an elastomeric tooth care element in the form of asection of an elastomeric wall. The elastomeric wall of FIG. 17 may beformed with a linear, planar shape; a zigzag shape; a serpentine shape,etc. All of the above elastomeric tooth care elements can have smoothtextures or can have rough surfaces. In addition, the wall sections ofthe elastomeric tooth care elements can be vertically straight, tapertoward inward toward one end or expand toward one end. The tops of theelastomeric tooth care walls can have a planar surface or can have aprotrusion (i.e., hump) or the like formed thereat.

For purpose of illustration only, first movable bristle carrier 180 willbe described as containing a predetermined number of bristle tufts;however the following features apply equally to the situation wherefirst movable bristle carrier 180 is formed entirely or partly ofelastomeric members. The bristle tufts of first movable bristle carrier180 can have uniform heights or non-uniform heights. For example, firstmovable bristle earner 180 can include bristle tufts having a firstheight and bristle tufts having a second different height.

First movable bristle earner 180 is constructed so as to pivotallyrotate about a center point thereof, thereby effectuating movement ofthe bristle tufts and/or elastomeric members that extend outwardly fromthe plane defined by the face positioned perpendicular to the directionof oscillation of first movable bristle carrier 180. The movement offirst movable bristle earner 180 is preferably an oscillation typemovement as the first movable bristle carrier 180 pivots about a post ata center point thereof (see FIG. 1). First movable bristle carrier 180is formed with a slot or opening (not shown). This slot is preferablyidentical or substantially similar to slot 22 illustrated in FIGS.1A-1C. Preferably, slot 22 is formed at a peripheral edge of firstmovable bristle carrier 180 and extends along a substantial height offirst movable bristle carrier 180. For example, slot 22 preferably doesnot extend to the upper surface of first bristle carrier 180 where thetooth care elements are formed. Instead, slot 22 preferably has a closedupper end to prevent foreign matter, such as saliva, toothpaste, foreignparticles, etc. from entering the slot when the operator is performing abrushing operation. The opposite end of the slot, which is locatedwithin inner compartment 121 of head 120, can be open.

Toothbrush 100 includes a drive mechanism to effectuate movement ofcertain parts of toothbrush 100 and more specifically, for causingmovement of at least first movable bristle carrier 180. One exemplarydrive mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,916 to McDougall,which has been previously incorporated herein by reference and includesa rotating drive shaft 200 that extends at least through neck 106 (i.e.,the inner compartment thereof). Drive shaft 200 preferably has aconstruction identical to or substantially similar to drive shaft 12illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C.

Drive shaft 200 has one end (not shown) that is operatively connected toa drive member (not shown), such as a motor or any other type of drivedevice, for imparting movement to first movable bristle carrier 180.Drive shaft 200 is formed with an opposing distal end (not shown) thatis bent such that the end is not axially aligned with the longitudinalaxis of drive shaft 200. This distal bent may be formed with a shapeidentical to or substantially similar to end 20 illustrated in FIGS.1A-1C or may be formed differently according to another construction solong as it performs the intended function. In other words, the end is anoffset crank end of drive shaft 200 and is configured to be received inslot 22 so that the 360° rotational movement of shaft 200 is transmittedinto an oscillating back and forth rotational movement of first movablebristle carrier 180.

The drive mechanism for powered toothbrush 100 can be any type of drive,e.g. a rotating drive, an oscillating drive, an eccentric drive, anunbalanced-generated drive, a drive having one more gearing mechanisms,or any other type that is capable of performing the intended function.The drive mechanism can be realized in the form of an electric motor orother type of motor and the movement generated by the drive can beimparted to one or more sections of head 120 or to other elements thatcan be present at the brush section, such as bristle tufts, elastomericmembers. The movement can be imparted directly through a driving axle,such as drive shaft 200 or it can be imparted through a driving postattached to the driving axle. When toothbrush 100 includes anoscillating drive mechanism either identical to or similar to theexemplary drive mechanism illustrated in FIGS. 1A through 1C, theinterior compartment of handle 102 houses a motor operatively connectedto drive shaft 200 and a source to power the motor, such as one or morebatteries.

When the drive mechanism is actuated and drive shaft 200 is rotated, themovement of the crank end imparts an oscillating back and forth movementof first movable bristle earner 180 through an angle between about 10°to about 120° and in a preferred exemplary embodiment, the movement isthrough an angle between about 10° to about 30° and in a most preferredembodiment is through an angle between about 10° to about 15°.

Toothbrush 100 further includes a second movable bristle carrier 210that is operatively mounted on head 120. Second movable bristle carrier210 is formed of an elastomeric material and is generally formed in theform of a head section that has a range of movement when forces areapplied to it during normal operation and/or normal use of toothbrush100. Elastomeric second bristle carrier 210 has a first end 212 that isdisposed in close proximate relation to the first bristle carrier 180and an opposing second end 214 that is disposed at or near the proximalend of head 120. Elastomeric second bristle carrier 210 further includesa first side 216 and a second side 218 with a recessed section 220 beingdefined thereby between first and second ends 212, 214 and first andsecond sides 218, 220. Recessed section 220 defines a recessedcompartment that has a floor 222.

According to one exemplary embodiment, elastomeric second bristlecarrier 210 is supported only at first side 216 and second side 218,respectively, by head base 160 such that elastomeric second bristlecarrier 210 extends across inner compartment 121 of head 120 and isformed as a substantially “floating” elastomeric platform. Theattachment of elastomeric second bristle carrier 210 to head base 160can be accomplished using conventional techniques, such as using anadhesive, providing a mechanical bond, or integrally attaching the twomembers during a molding operation. In one embodiment, the side walls ofthe head base 160 may be formed with cut-away portions (i.e. U-shaped inthe illustrated embodiment) that receive the first and second sides 216,218, which are formed as side walls that are received in the cut-awayportions of head base 160, as best shown in FIG. 4.

Because first bristle carrier 180 is preferably formed in the shape of adisk, first end 212 is preferably formed with an arcuate shape toaccommodate the oscillating back and forth rotational movement of firstbristle carrier 180. Second end 214 may also be formed with an arcuateshape, as illustrated, or it may be formed with any other shape. Secondend 214 preferably forms a butt joint with the distal end of neck 106,or second end 214 may be adapted to extend slightly over the distal endof neck 106 if additional support of second end 214 is desired.Elastomeric second bristle carrier 210 is also formed with a lowersurface 215 that extends across inner compartment 121 of head 120. Lowersurface 215 is therefore coupled to upper edges of the side walls ofhead base 160 in this region of head 120, thereby permitting shaft 200to extend underneath lower surface 215 through inner compartment 121 tothe slot in first carrier 180.

A bristle holder 230 is securely disposed within recessed section 220defined by elastomeric second bristle carrier 210 and is designed tohold a number of tooth care elements 152, such as bristle tufts,elastomeric members or a combination thereof. Accordingly, the shapes ofbristle holder 230 and the recessed section 220 must be complementary toone another. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the bristle holder230 and the recessed section 220 has an annular shape; however, each canhave any regular shape or irregular shape (e.g. square, oval, diamond,rectangle, etc.) Bristle holder 230 supports one or more, and preferablya plurality of tooth care elements, generally illustrated at 250, whichextend outwardly from a plane parallel to a face thereof. It will beappreciated that bristle holder 230 can hold any number of differenttypes of tooth care elements and is not limited to merely supportbristle tufts, since elastomeric members can equally be held by bristleholder 230 or be formed at part thereof. Bristle holder 230 ispreferably a relatively rigid member that is formed of a suitablematerial, such as a plastic, that will provide the desired structuralcharacteristics. However and according to an alternative embodiment,bristle holder 230 may be formed of an elastomeric material that canhave a rigidity less than, equal to, or greater than the rigidity of theelastomeric material forming elastomeric second bristle carrier 210.

Elastomeric second bristle carrier 210, including the bristle holder230, can be formed using conventional manufacturing methods. In oneembodiment, elastomeric second bristle carrier 210 is formed aroundbristle holder 230 in a conventional molding process where bristleholder 230 is first positioned and properly located within a mold andthen elastomeric material is injected around bristle holder 230 tothereby form the elastomeric portion of bristle carrier 210 aroundbristle holder 230.

Elastomeric second bristle carrier 210 is preferably formed such thatbristle holder 230 lies in a plane that is above head base 160, and morepreferably above an upper surface of neck 106. Elastomeric secondbristle carrier 210 therefore includes a built-up section (raisedsection) 225 above the upper surface of neck 106 which leads to an upperface 231 of bristle holder 230. In an exemplary embodiment, the built-upsection includes a radial shoulder 237 that extends around bristleholder 230. Elastomeric second bristle carrier 210 thus ramps upwardlyfrom the upper surface of neck 106 to upper face 231 and then carrier210 ramps downwardly toward first bristle carrier 180. The recess 220 ispreferably defined by raised section 225.

Elastomeric second bristle carrier 210 also defines a cavity or a hollowchannel (e.g., a through hole) 240 extending from first side 216 to thesecond side 218 thereof. As best shown in the side elevation view ofFIG. 4 and the cross-sectional view of FIG. 5, cavity 240 is definedunderneath bristle holder 230, a top boundary of the cavity beingdefined by an amount of elastomeric material disposed adjacent thebottom surface of the bristle holder 230. Cavity 240 is also preferablypositioned above the side walls of the head base 160 to permit cavity240 to be free of all obstructions and permit the operator to seeclearly through cavity 240. In another embodiment, cavity 240 does nothave open ends; but rather, its sides are defined by an enclosed pocketunderneath bristle holder 230; or it can be formed so that only one endis open. Optionally (as best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3), a secondcavity or hollow channel (e.g., through hole) 240 is defined and extendslongitudinally from first end 212 to the second end 214. In thisembodiment, the two channels intersect in a central portion of secondbristle carrier 210. It will be appreciated that the cavity 240 does nothave to extend completely through second bristle carrier 210.

Cavity 240 acts as a shock absorbing pocket and permits the elastomericsecond bristle carrier 210 to move substantially vertically (up anddown) when a force is applied to elastomeric second bristle carrier 210.More specifically, when a force is applied to an upper surface ofcarrier 210 (e.g. to upper face 231), elastomeric second bristle carrier210 is compressed downward due to the deformation or partial collapse ofcarrier 210 about cavity 240.

Because of its elastomeric nature, second bristle carrier 210 isrestored to its relaxed condition when the applied force is removed. Inother words, once the applied force is removed, cavity 240 assumes itsinitial shape, thereby imparting shock absorbing characteristics tosecond bristle earner 210. It will be appreciated that by altering thedimensions of cavity 240, the shock absorbing characteristics of secondbristle carrier 210 can be varied. For example, as the dimensions ofcavity 240 are increased, carrier 210 will deform more easily uponapplication of a force. This directly translates into addedsubstantially vertical movement of elastomeric second bristle carrier210 as the operator of toothbrush 100 brushes his or her teeth and thetooth care elements (bristles and/or elastomeric members) extending frombristle holder 230 contact teeth and surrounding areas. A normalbrushing action will impart a number of forces at different anglesagainst elastomeric second bristle carrier 210.

Moreover, the elastomeric characteristics of second bristle carrier 210can be further altered by the definition of one or more apertures 250 insecond bristle carrier 210 by bristle holder 230. The apertures serve toincrease the resiliency of second bristle carrier 210 since thedefinition of apertures 250 results in removal of elastomeric material.

In yet another embodiment, an upper section of second bristle carrier210 defines a hollow, deformable dome-like structure. Bristle holder 230defines an upper surface of the dome-like structure, and also defines atleast one aperture therein to let air in and out of the cavity definedby bristle holder 230. Thus, when a force is applied to bristle holder230, as during a brushing action, the dome-like structure at leastpartially collapses as air in the cavity is evacuated through the atleast one aperture.

The elastic motion of elastomeric second bristle carrier 210 deliversadditional oral health care benefits such as enhanced cleaning, toothpolishing, and/or tooth cleaning since second bristle carrier 210 has anumber of tooth care elements extending therefrom for contacting thegingival surfaces during a brushing action. It will be understood thattooth care elements can be located in other areas besides bristle holder230. For example, some tooth care elements can be attached to and extendupwardly from the top face of carrier 210 surrounding bristle holder230.

Referring next to FIGS. 6-12, an elastomeric second bristle carrieraccording to another embodiment of the invention is illustrated andgenerally indicated at 300. In accordance with this embodiment,elastomeric second bristle carrier 300 does not include a bristle holder(such as bristle holder 230 of FIG. 5). Rather, elastomeric secondbristle carrier 300 is generally formed as a “floating” head sectionthat has a range of movement when forces are applied to it during normaloperation and/or normal use of toothbrush 100. Elastomeric secondbristle carrier 300 is formed with a first end 302 that is disposed inclose proximate relation to first bristle carrier 180 and an opposingsecond end 304 that is disposed at or near the proximal end of head 120.Elastomeric second bristle carrier 300 further includes a first side306, an opposing second side 308, an upper surface 310 and a lowersurface 312 that faces inner compartment 121. Upper surface 310 ispreferably not a planar surface but rather is an arcuate surface (e.g. aconvex shaped surface).

According to one exemplary embodiment, elastomeric second bristlecarrier 300 is only supported at first side 306 and second side 308,respectively, by head base 160 such that elastomeric second bristlecarrier 300 extends across and therefore defines an upper limit of innercompartment 121 of head 120 and is therefore formed substantially as a“floating” elastomeric platform. The attachment of elastomeric secondbristle carrier 300 to head base 160 can be accomplished usingconventional techniques, such as using an adhesive, providing amechanical bond, or integrally attaching the two members during amolding operation. Because first bristle carrier 180 is formedpreferably in the shape of a disk, first end 302 preferably is formedwith an arcuate shape to accommodate the oscillating back and forthrotational movement of first bristle earner 180. Second end 304 can alsobe formed with an arcuate shape, as illustrated, or it can be formedwith any other shape. Second end 304 preferably forms a butt joint withthe distal end of neck 106 or second end 304 can extend slightly overthe distal end of neck 106 if additional support of second end 304 isdesired. Lower surface 312 is therefore coupled to upper edges of theside walls of head base 160 in this region of head 120, therebypermitting shaft 200 to extend underneath lower surface 312 and throughthe inner compartment 121 to the slot in first bristle carrier 180.

Second bristle carrier 300 defines an enlarged cavity, hollow channel(e.g. through hole) or pocket 320 that extends not only from side 306 toside 308 but it is also defined so that it extends substantially fromthe first end 302 to the second end 304. Cavity 320 is defined above theupper side edges of head base 160 that serve as points for attachmentbetween head 120 and second bristle earner 300. Second bristle carrier300 is further formed with a weakened section incorporated therein tofacilitate movement of second bristle carrier 300 upon application of aforce to upper surface 310. For example, a longitudinal or transversegroove (i.e., a score) 330 may be defined in at least one of uppersurface 310 and a surface 317 defining an upper limit of cavity 320. Inthe illustrated embodiment, a single groove 330 is formed across surface317. Groove 330 forms a weakened section longitudinally within secondbristle carrier 300 (a so called “living hinge” is formed). It will beappreciated that groove 330 can equally be formed longitudinal fromfirst end 302 to second end 304.

The cross-section of FIG. 9 illustrates second bristle carrier 300 in arelaxed condition prior to application of a force to upper surface 310.FIGS. 10-12 illustrate the second bristle carrier 300 in deformedcondition after a force is applied to upper surface 310. When a force isapplied to upper surface 310, upper surface 310 deforms about the livinghinge created by one or more grooves 330. This results in upper surface310 at least partially collapsing along the living hinge section. Toothcare elements 340 formed on upper surface 310 flex inwardly toward oneanother as a result of such deformation, as illustrated in FIG. 10.Elastomeric second bristle carrier 300 can thus be thought of as ahinged block that has shock absorbing characteristics. When the appliedforce is removed, second bristle carrier 300 returns to its relaxedcondition due to its elastomeric nature.

Preferably, tooth care elements 340 that extend upwardly from uppersurface 310 are a plurality of elastomeric members (such as those shownin FIGS. 13-17) that are formed integrally with elastomeric secondbristle carrier 300. For example, tooth care elements 340 can be formedin the same molding operation that forms elastomeric second bristlecarrier 300. Thus, while elastomeric second bristle carrier 300 isdescribed as a bristle carrier, it will be understood that the carrier300 does not necessarily include any bristle tufts.

It will also be appreciated that in any of the foregoing embodiments,the toothbrush head can have a number of static tooth care elementsdisposed thereat in a number of different locations.

A powered toothbrush made in accordance with any of the presentembodiment offers a number of advantages over conventional poweredtoothbrushes that are presently available. Movable first bristle carrier180 oscillates back and forth, or moves otherwise, and as the operatorbrushes his or her teeth, the oscillating tooth care elements (i.e.bristle tufts and/or elastomeric members) contact the surfaces of theteeth and the surrounding areas to deliver enhanced cleaning, toothpolishing and/or tooth whitening. Elastomeric second bristle carriers210, 300 permit tooth care elements to be disposed in a number ofdifferent patterns and the increased number of moving tooth careelements provide increased contact with gingival tissues and enhancedmassaging thereof.

Toothbrush 100 according to the various embodiments disclosed herein canbe made from any number of materials that are suitable for use in oralcare products, such as toothbrushes, etc. For example, many of thecomponents that are included in toothbrush 100 are formed of plasticmaterials. Accordingly, handle 102 and head 120 of powered toothbrush100 can be molded from polyolefins such as polypropylenes andpolyethylenes, polyamids such as nylons, and polyesters such aspolyethylene terephthalate. Other suitable materials includepolymethylmethacrylate, styrene acroylonitrate and cellulose esters, forexample cellulose propionate. In addition, natural and synthetic rubberscan be used.

When the tooth care elements are in the form of tufts of bristles, thebristles of can be made from a flexible material suitable for dentalhygiene. Generally, materials suitable for bristles are polyamides suchas nylon or polyesters such as polybutylene terephthalate. When thetooth care elements are in the form of elastomeric members, they can bemade from any number of suitable elastomeric materials, such as a blockcopolymer. Preferred block copolymers include styrenes (for examplestyrene ethylene butadiene styrene, or styrene butadiene styrene),polyolefins (for example polypropylene/ethylene propylene diaminemodified systems (i.e. synthetic rubber)), polyamides (for examplepolyamide (2 or polyamide 6), polyesters (for example polyester ester orpolyether ester), polyurethanes (for example polyesterurethane,polyetherurethane or polyesteretherurethane). In addition, naturalrubbers or synthetic rubbers can be used.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those madeapparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and,because certain changes may be made in carrying out the above method andin the construction(s) set forth without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in theabove description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

1. A powered toothbrush comprising: a handle portion having a neckformed at one end; and a head coupled to the neck, the head including: afirst carrier coupled to the head and operatively connected to a drivemechanism for moving the first carrier in a first path of motion, thefirst carrier having at least one of a plurality of bristles and anelastomeric cleaning member extending outwardly therefrom; and a secondcarrier coupled to the head, the second carrier being formed of anelastomeric material and having at least one of a plurality of bristlesand an elastomeric cleaning member extending outwardly from an uppersurface of the second carrier, the second carrier having a weakenedsection comprising a longitudinal or transverse groove such that uponapplication of a force to the upper surface thereof, the upper surfaceat least partially collapses resulting in movement of the at least oneof a plurality of bristles and the elastomeric cleaning member, and uponremoval of the force, the second carrier substantially returns to anon-collapsed condition.
 2. The powered toothbrush of claim 1, whereinthe first path of motion is about an axis perpendicular to an outersurface of the head.
 3. The powered toothbrush of claim 2, wherein thefirst carrier oscillates in a rotational direction about a center pointof the first carrier.
 4. The powered toothbrush of claim 1, wherein thefirst carrier oscillates in a rotational direction about a center pointof the first carrier.
 5. The powered toothbrush of claim 1, wherein thesecond carrier moves substantially in a direction perpendicular to anouter surface of the head when the force is applied thereto.
 6. Thepowered toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism includes amotor driven shaft having a drive end that drives the first carrier. 7.The powered toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the second carrier includes abody portion having an upper wall that includes the upper surface and anopposing lower wall, wherein the weakened section is formed in the upperwall.
 8. The powered toothbrush of claim 4, wherein the groove extendsperpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the head.
 9. The poweredtoothbrush of claim 1, wherein the groove extends parallel to alongitudinal axis of the head.
 10. The powered toothbrush of claim 1,wherein the second carrier defines a collapsible cavity formed betweenthe upper surface and a lower surface thereof.
 11. The poweredtoothbrush of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal or transverse groove isdisposed in the upper surface of the second carrier.
 12. A poweredtoothbrush comprising: a handle portion having a neck formed at one end;and a head coupled to the neck, the head including: a first carriercoupled to the head and operatively connected to a drive mechanism formoving the first carrier in a first path of motion, the first carrierhaving at least one of a plurality of bristles and an elastomericcleaning member extending outwardly therefrom; and a resilient secondcarrier coupled to the head, the second carrier having at least one of aplurality of bristles and an elastomeric cleaning member extendingoutwardly from an upper surface of the second carrier, the secondcarrier having a longitudinal or transverse groove formed as a partthereof that permits the upper surface thereof to at least partiallydeform upon a force being applied to the upper surface such that thesecond carrier moves in a second path of motion different from the firstpath of motion.
 13. The powered toothbrush of claim 12, furthercomprising a cavity defined in the second carrier.
 14. The poweredtoothbrush of claim 12, wherein one end of the second carrier is shapedto conform to a peripheral edge of the first carrier.
 15. The poweredtoothbrush of claim 12, wherein the elastomeric cleaning member of thesecond carrier comprises an upstanding elastomeric wall having a shapeselected from the group consisting of linear, zigzag, and serpentine.16. The powered toothbrush of claim 12, wherein the elastomeric cleaningmember of the second carrier comprises a plurality of elastomericfingers.
 17. The powered toothbrush of claim 12, wherein thelongitudinal or transverse groove is disposed in the upper surface ofthe second carrier.
 18. A brush section for use in a powered toothbrushincluding a handle portion having a neck formed at one end, the brushsection comprising: a head adapted to be coupled to the neck, the headincluding: a first carrier coupled to the head and operatively connectedto a drive mechanism for moving the first carrier in a first path ofmotion, the first carrier having at least one of a plurality of bristlesand an elastomeric cleaning member extending outwardly therefrom; and asecond carrier coupled to the head, the second carrier being formed ofan elastomeric material and having at least one of a plurality ofbristles and an elastomeric cleaning member extending outwardly from anupper surface of the second carrier, the upper surface of the secondcarrier having a weakened section comprising a longitudinal ortransverse groove such that upon application of a force to the uppersurface thereof, the upper surface at least partially collapses in asecond path of motion resulting in movement of the at least one of aplurality of bristles and the elastomeric cleaning member, and uponremoval of the force, the second carrier substantially returns to anon-collapsed condition.
 19. The brush section of claim 18, wherein thesecond carrier defines a collapsible cavity formed between the uppersurface and a lower surface thereof.
 20. The brush section of claim 19,wherein the upper surface is collapsible to contact the lower surfaceupon application of the force.